How To Remove a Smoky Odor From Your House

No one wants to live with a smoky odor in their home. Unfortunately, this is often one of the harder smells to eliminate. Here are some tips to try to remove a smoky smell from the home.

Air Out the Space

One of the simplest things to try to remove a smoky odor is to air out the space. This means opening up some windows and allowing fresh air to circulate through the room. This is a particularly useful strategy if the smoke smell is relatively new and hasn’t settled into any furniture yet. Allow the room to air out for as long as possible and even consider setting up some oscillating fans to improve the airflow. If no difference is noticed after a few days, try some of the other methods on this list.

Try Some Basic Home Products

There are many products found at home or at a grocery store that can help with a smoky odor. For example, use baking soda to absorb smoky smells in an area. Try setting up a few small bowls of baking soda around the room. Then apply a sprinkling of baking soda to any rugs or carpeting. Finally, if there’s furniture with upholstery in the area, sprinkle some baking soda there too. Let everything sit for a few hours, then vacuum it up and see if the smell remains.

Another product to try is white vinegar. As with the baking soda, set up some small stations around the room or apply a small amount to affected areas. Also, try heating up the vinegar into a steam and allowing the steam to circulate through the house. 

Use a Steam Cleaner

Steam is another useful tool for removing a smoke smell. The heat breaks down oils that contain the smoke molecules and the water helps to wash them away. Rent or buy a steam cleaner and use it on furniture or walls. Just remember to keep the steam machine moving, as the hot water can damage some areas if left sitting for too long.

Change the Air Filters

An important part of removing odors from the home, including smoke odors, is replacing the air filters. HVAC systems work to remove pollutants in the air, but they can’t do this effectively if the air filters become clogged. It’s often a good idea to replace the air filters at least four times a year but if dealing with a persistent smoky smell, it may need to be done more often.

Hire a Professional Restoration Service

If all of the above tips don’t help with the smokey odor, then Steamatic in Virginia is here to help. Steamatic’s professional residential cleaning services include the best methods for eliminating a bad smoky smell in a short amount of time. To get started, please contact Steamatic today to schedule a consultation. Steamatic will visit the home, assess the situation, and begin work to remove the smoky smell right away.